Nyquist is Hobey Baker finalist

University of Maine sophomore right winger Gustav Nyquist and junior defenseman Jeff Dimmen have earned spots on the All-Hockey East teams.

In addition, Nyquist was named one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award given to the nation’s top player.

Nyquist was a first-team Hockey East selection and runnerup for Player of the Year and Dimmen was a second-team pick.

Nyquist leads the nation in scoring with 59 points, in assists with 41 and in points per game with 1.59.

Nyquist has registered at least a point in 31 of 37 games. He has 18 multiple-point games.

University of New Hampshire senior right winger Bobby Butler was the league’s Player of the Year.

Dimmen is tied for fourth in the country among defensemen in goals with 12 and he also has 17 assists. His 29 points leave him 11th in the country and he is also 11th in points per game among blue-liners with 0.81.

Dimmen has recorded a point in 22 of his 36 games and had a late-season streak of goals in five consecutive games.

Nyquist said he was “excited” about his All-Hockey East first-team award and wasn’t disappointed that Butler earned Player of the Year honors.

“I’m very happy to get any award. There are a lot of great players in this league,” said Nyquist.

As for being a Hobey Baker Award finalist, the Malmo, Sweden, native said, “I couldn’t have imagined that before we started. I’m very honored.”

Nyquist was named to the All-Hockey East Rookie team a year ago when he had 13 goals and 19 assists in 38 games.

He credited Maine strength and conditioning coach Terry O’Neill with supplying him with a summer program that has helped him improve his game.

“I put on weight and muscle. All the work over the summer paid off,” said Nyquist. “It was also my second year in the league so I knew what to expect and how to play the game.”

“Gustav has had a tremendous season,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “He had a great rookie year and an even better year this season. He has become a more complete player. He’s electric when he has the puck. He can change a game in an instant. He has worked real hard.”

“It seems like whenever he’s on the ice, he makes things happen,” said Boston University junior defenseman and captain Kevin Shattenkirk. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.”

“He’s one of the most skilled players in our league,” said BU senior defenseman and assistant captain Eric Gryba. “He’s creative and talented.”

Nyquist is one of just two sophomores among the Hobey Baker Award finalists along with Miami goaltender Cody Reichard.

The others are juniors Marc Cheverie, a goalie from Denver; Chase Polacek, a center from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institiute; Brendan Smith, a defenseman from Wisconsin and Mark Olver, a center from Northern Michigan and seniors Butler, Wisconsin center Blake Geoffrion, left winger Rhett Rakhshani from Denver and goalie Ben Scrivens from Cornell.

Whitehead said Dimmen’s selection was “well-deserved.

“He has had a tremendous season. He’s a real competitor and has really elevated his game offensively while continuing to play very solid defense,” said Whitehead. “He’s also a physical presence.”

“He has scored some big goals for us and is great defensively,” said Nyquist. “I’m glad he got recognized.”

Dimmen suffered a knee injury in Saturday night’s 2-0 win over UMass Lowell in the second game of their best-of-three quarterfinal series and missed Sunday’s clinching 3-2 overtime win.

But Whitehead said Dimmen practiced for the first time on Thursday and he expects him to be back in the lineup tonight in their Hockey East semifinal against Boston University.